F series tractors in general, and F12/F14's in particular are noted for their very low gearing. The F14 has a three speed transmission, and wide open throttle in 3rd gear produces between 3.5 and 4 MPH depending on the size of the tires installed. While this was a blistering pace for farmers used to plodding behind horses, it gets seriously annoying to us modern folk.

By the 1940's (possibly earlier, I'm not really sure) it started annoying farmers too, and aftermarket "road gears" started showing up. There were two primary manufacturers, Behlen and Heisler. They provide a 2:1 overdrive when high gear is selected, giving a much more useful road speed. While 7 or 8 MPH might not seem like much, trust me, it's plenty on a narrow front tractor from 1938!

Once again, friendships made through Yesterday's Tractors came to my rescue. Larry806 from Ohio who hangs out on the Tractor Tales board had a unit from a tractor he was parting out.

As you can see, the unit fits between the clutch output shaft and the transmission input shaft, replacing the coupling that normally resides there. Clearance is snug but adequate.

I have always thought that The Red Menace sat a little cattywampus. I knew when I did the original rebuild that one of the frame rails had been repaired. It looked to me like the front wheels sat a little off to the right. Turns out I was correct... You can see the misalignment between the coupler on the road gear and the coupler on the clutch shaft. Ratzenfratzenfrickenfracken...

You can see the repairs made to the original frame rails. I expect a combination of the original damage that necessitated the repairs and the heat from welding bowed the rails just enough to cause the problem.

So, it's time to tap my friends from YTMAG again. Same feller that had the road gear had a nice set of straight frame rails. Larry hosts an annual "Gathering" of Talers from the Ohio area, which Scotty planned to attend, so again, "ScottyHOMEY's East-West Cartage and Lugging Service" came to the rescue. In an episode of the usual Taler thoughfulness, all present at The Gathering autographed my new rails. I was so touched by that that I just covered them with some clear coat and left the rails au naturel.

After some head scratching, I decided I could combine the jobs of replacing the frame rails and installing the road gear by carefully supporting the front bolster, engine and transmission tub and replacing one frame rail at a time. It actually went pretty smoothly.

Of course, nothing is ever as simple as it seems. The overdrive unit was from an F12, my tractor is an F14. One of the main differences between the two tractors is that the F14 has a touch more horsepower, achieved by turning the governor up a couple of hundred RPM. In order to keep ground speeds the same, the input gear ratio was changed. What this means is that the F12 overdrive unit will not mesh with an F14 transmission main shaft. In order to accomplish the change, I had to pull the F14 mainshaft out of the transmission and replace it with the F12 mainshaft that Larry sent with the overdrive unit.

My F14 also has the power lift, an early version of hydraulic implement lift. The pump for the lift runs off the transmission mainshaft too, so it had to be taken off the F14 shaft and mounted on the F12 shaft.

So, after a couple of hiccups, I now have a road gear installed in The Red Menace. It makes any move over a few hundred feet MUCH more convenient. It also means that my F14 has most of the available options installed: Power Lift, Electric Start and Road Gear. True, it's a somewhat mongrelized mixture that the Correct Police would turn their nose up at, but they're not using it, I am.

Now I just need to find a wide front (not going to happen, they go for upwards of $3000, IF you can find one) and a set of those spiffy front frame weights, also unlikely due to rarity and price. Of course, I never thought I'd ever be able to afford/find a road gear either...